Have you ever purposely missed a screening appointment?

Almost one in five women in Hastings who were invited for a cervical cancer smear test in 2009 did not turn up, according to the Sussex Express.

Women in the UK aged between 25 and 64 are asked to attend screenings to avoid cervical cancer going undiagnosed.

Despite the fact that cervical cancer is preventable if noticed at an early stage, it is still the second biggest cause of cancer deaths of women under 35 in the UK - with 2,800 new cases diagnosed in the UK every year.

In an interview with the Sussex Express, cervical screening nurse consultant Jenny Greenfield said: "Cervical screening can prevent around 75 per cent of cancer cases in women who attend regularly. Many who develop it have never been screened. So you could say the biggest risk is actually not having the regular smear tests."

In many cases, a woman's own immune system can successfully get rid of any infection before problems can occur.

However, a small percentage of people will develop cervical abnormalities which could become cervical cancer if left untreated.